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A review by beckykphillips
The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Childhood best friends, Ramona Halloway and Grace Ludlow, are plucked from the underground NYC theatre scene to enter the esteemed Dollhouse Academy. The academy is a modern throwback to the old Hollywood studio model where aspiring actors are put through grueling training regimens to maybe one day become superstars beholden exclusively to The Dollhouse, if they are able to adequately impress the right people. While the Dollhouse is home many a star, Ivy Gordon is their brightest and the particular idol of Ramona. Told from the perspectives of both Ivy and Ramona, we are treated to a slow unfolding of what's really going on underneath the veneer of perfection.
Read this if you're into:
- A speculative fiction take on the old Hollywood studio
- Childhood best friendships being tested
- Diary-style story telling
The Dollhouse Academy had me constantly wondering what was really going on and I could not stop listening. The narrators, Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands, do an incredible job of bringing Ramona and Ivy to life. Ramona's character development throughout the novel was very well done - seeing her grow beyond the jealousy she experienced with Grace zooming to fame. I felt her gut wrenching feeling where she was excited for Grace, but also devastated that she was not measuring up. Seeing her work through that as the book progressed was lovely and so much of the book emphasizes how important those friendships are in the long run.
Where I did find myself having trouble was depth of character for folks who where not Ramona and Ivy. Maybe in part because Grace wasn't a perspective character, I didn't fully grasp her backstory beyond her being an orphan who was in and out of foster care - I didn't get a good picture of her outside of being Ramona's best friend. The same for Mason, some of the conversations he had with Ramona were highly suspicious in terms of how involved in the Dollhouse he truly was, but I didn't feel like his motivations were fully explored enough.
That being said, I still highly recommend The Dollhouse Academy and the audiobook is also an excellent option should you prefer to read with your ears. Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.
Read this if you're into:
- A speculative fiction take on the old Hollywood studio
- Childhood best friendships being tested
- Diary-style story telling
The Dollhouse Academy had me constantly wondering what was really going on and I could not stop listening. The narrators, Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands, do an incredible job of bringing Ramona and Ivy to life. Ramona's character development throughout the novel was very well done - seeing her grow beyond the jealousy she experienced with Grace zooming to fame. I felt her gut wrenching feeling where she was excited for Grace, but also devastated that she was not measuring up. Seeing her work through that as the book progressed was lovely and so much of the book emphasizes how important those friendships are in the long run.
Where I did find myself having trouble was depth of character for folks who where not Ramona and Ivy. Maybe in part because Grace wasn't a perspective character, I didn't fully grasp her backstory beyond her being an orphan who was in and out of foster care - I didn't get a good picture of her outside of being Ramona's best friend. The same for Mason, some of the conversations he had with Ramona were highly suspicious in terms of how involved in the Dollhouse he truly was, but I didn't feel like his motivations were fully explored enough.
That being said, I still highly recommend The Dollhouse Academy and the audiobook is also an excellent option should you prefer to read with your ears. Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.